𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐁𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 (𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐡)

chapter 7

"Gabriel," she called, her voice smooth like the leather of the purse she held.

"Um, yes." He responded, snapping out of his thoughts.

"It's getting late so we can leave now if you'd like."

"You already know that's what I'd like to do."

The two grabbed their coats from the butlers. "I forgot how late it is... we should probably call an Uber or something instead of having Gorilla pick us up. I don't know if he even sleeps at all, but if he does it would be rude to wake him." Nathalie said, and Gabriel nodded agreeably.

They waited inside for the Uber to come, and eventually, it arrived. The car was a Cadillac since Nathalie paid extra for premium services as she knew Gabriel would likely only tolerate the best.

This ride was about as quiet as the ride there, and Gabriel continued thinking about the woman beside him as he stole quick glances at her. Nathalie told the driver to drop them off about a block away from the house even though almost everyone in Paris knew where the Agreste Mansion was located. Nathalie tipped the driver, and the two exited the car.

Nathalie's POV

The rain had stopped but the air was foggy and held on to the scent of the precipitation. The two began walking in the direction of the house, and Gabriel decided to finally speak up.

"Don't you just love it when the streets are empty, and everything around you just seems so still?"

Nathalie looked up at the man, intrigued by his words. Gabriel wasn't the one to speak much about what was going on in his head, and she loved to hear him speak of anything other than work or evil schemes.

"It's like everything is so quiet that the words in your head and the sounds of nature are the only things you can hear. And instead of your inner thoughts being loud like everything around you once was, they seem to quiet down too," he said.

Nathalie just continued to admire him as he walked, taking everything he said to heart. Something about it just seemed so poetic.

"You know," she said, continuing to walk beside him, "I always wondered where you draw inspiration for your fashion ideas. Is it times like these when you're just content and peaceful, and because everything is so quiet, you can truly focus on what you're doing?"

Gabriel looked down at the woman beside him, "I've noticed that my best work comes to me when there's no deadline or goals that have to be met, but just when I can simply exist, and my mind's sole purpose is being a part of this Earth. I don't worry about her then either, or having to be evil and hurting people just so I can bring her back and return to Adrien all that he is missing now without her. Life just becomes so...simple.

"I think you have to let go of some things Gabriel. If you keep holding on to so much, how long will it be until that pressure breaks you? If you want to give Adrien back the life he had back then, all you have to do is be there for him."

Nathalie almost bit back her words, as she didn't know how Gabriel would take them. She didn't mean that Gabriel should give up on Emilie...but she did. She didn't want to be selfish in wanting Gabriel to love her instead, but she knew she was right about him having to move on because Adrien needed him in his life. While Gabriel spent all of his time trying to pointlessly bring her back, he was growing further and further away from Adrien, even though he was supposed to be doing this all for him.

"I didn't mean it like that-"

"No. I know Nathalie. I know I'm failing my job as a parent. I know my son is unhappy, believe me, I can feel just how horrible he feels through the powers of this brooch on my chest."

The two slowed down as they approached the gates to the estate. Gabriel gritted his teeth in frustration and balled his fists.

"I know everything I'm doing must be pointless!" He cried out. "I know it's pointless because I've yet to succeed, and I'll never succeed! I'm reminded of that on a daily basis, but for some absurd reason I still hold on to hope. I keep having faith in the fact that things will get better, but every day I'm reminded that they won't. And that just keeps stabbing me in the heart, over and over again, but it's just so painful because it's an endless cycle and it won't end."

Gabriel stood still, his face blank and his head down. Nathalie hugged him. She embraced him because she knew he needed someone who cared about him. Someone who loved him. His deep sorrow hurt her just as much because of her love for him.

"Come on, let's get inside." She said, rubbing his back. Gabriel took a deep breath and followed Nathalie inside.
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A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Feel free to comment and vote, I'd truly appreciate it!